BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday alleged that the Awami League government "has taken democracy to a near death situation in a bid to realise its hidden BAKSAL agenda".
"Democracy was never safe at the hands of the Awami League," said the BNP chief.
Khaleda Zia made the remarks in a statement issued to mark what they call "The day [January 25] of democracy's death".
Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Awami League or BAKSAL, propagated by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, was a political amalgamation of all the political parties in the country. Passed through the fourth amendment to the constitution on January 25, 1975, it banned all the existing political parties, including the Awami League.
BAKSAL was later dissolved after the assassination of Bangabandhu on August 15, 1975.
Referring to Awami League's role in establishing BAKSAL in 1975, Khaleda Zia alleged that the party killed democracy and established an autocratic administration by depriving people of their fundamental rights.
“Apprehending the danger [of losing] of a free and fair election, the party scrapped the system of neutral caretaker government from the constitution and it has once again deprived the people of their voting rights. It is not even hesitating to put the country's unity, solidarity and sovereignty at stake to make its autocratic rule longer through holding a farcical election," the BNP chief.
She also claimed that the people of the country are committed to ousting "the neo-BAKSAL government" to reinstate democracy in the country.